Ottawa-Carleton District School Board pulls out of Capital Pride parade

OCDSB trustee Donna Blackburn (middle) led a group of school board members in the Capital Pride parade in this 2024 file photo. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

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The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will not participate in the Capital Pride parade this year.

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In a statement, the board said it recognizes Pride Month in June through activities in its schools, but noted that Capital Pride events take place in late August, outside the school year.

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“During the month of June the OCDSB recognizes Pride Month in our schools. Pride Month is about education, celebrating diversity, and fostering inclusive spaces that prevent bullying, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia so that all students and staff feel valued and that they belong,” the statement said.

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“The City of Ottawa recognizes Pride during the month of August with public events planned for the last week of August. These events do not fall within the school year for our students and staff.”

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Capital Pride executive director Callie Metler confirmed the organization has not received an application from the OCDSB to participate in this year’s parade. She said applications remain open until July 24 and that the organization has not received any communication from the board about its decision or the reasons behind it.

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Elected trustee Donna Blackburn said she was “very sad,” “very angry” and “quite concerned” by the decision, arguing it sends the wrong message to students and staff.

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Blackburn said she learned of the decision from multiple OCDSB staff members and criticized what she described as a lack of communication and transparency.

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“There was no transparency, there was no communication about this,” she said. “I suspect maybe they wrongly thought they could just make this decision and nobody would notice.”

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Blackburn said the board’s participation in Capital Pride dates back to 2011 and has included leading the parade with students and staff carrying large Pride flags.

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She said ending that participation comes at a time when LGBTQ+ communities continue to face growing hostility.

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“We’re currently in a time where we do have a small handful, but loud group of far-right people who would want to push LGBTQ rights back,” Blackburn said. “As a school board, as a public entity, they have an obligation to be doubling down against that.”

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This decision comes weeks after the board faced criticism for cancelling a planned drag storytime event at Mutchmor Public School in the Glebe.

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Blackburn is calling on the OCDSB to reverse this decision, saying she hopes public reaction will lead the board to reconsider.

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“I hope they understand that they made a very big mistake,” she said.

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Blackburn, the first openly gay trustee elected to the OCDSB, said her greatest concern is the message the decision sends to young people.

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“This isn’t about me,” she said. “I’m older now. I had to live through high school where we had to be in the closet. It was not safe to come out.”

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She said students today should not have to experience the same fear.

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“For me, this is about making sure that students and staff don’t have to live what I lived, because not being able to be your authentic self is very, very stressful,” Blackburn said. “It’s not good on your mental health, it’s not good on your quality of life. In 2026, we need to ensure that nobody should be ashamed of who they are.”